Frangible closers are closers, pins or stoppers primarily inside tubing or conduits, or inside bag or container ports, to block fluid flow through such tubing or port. Such closers can be broken which opens the tubing or port to permit fluid flow there through. The opening of such stoppers or closers is achieved by external manipulation of the tubing conduit or port without penetration of the sterile or closed condition of the system containing the tubing or port. Such closers or stoppers are manipulated from outside the tubing or port by an external force typically produced by an operator or user of the tubing or system. This force breaks the frangible pin or closer or stopper portion to permit fluid flow through the tubing or port. The force needs to bend or move the frangible closer in two opposite directions to achieve the pin, closer, or stopper breakage.
Generally, frangible closers are manually manipulated to open the tubing or port as described above. Such manipulation requires the operator to grasp the frangible area with both hands and then to twist, bend or rotate such area in one direction followed by a twist, bend or rotation in the opposite direction. This movement is required because a typical frangible closer needs to be broken in two opposed locations. This motion is generally achieved by wrist rotation and may need to be repeated on each side for a complete break of the internal pin, stopper or closer. Complicated multiple disposable or tubing lines may require an operator to open a number of frangible openers or stoppers which may result in wrist or hand strain or a repetitive motion injury.
A need exists for a frangible opener, which can be used with apparatus that uses medical tubing or disposable sets. Such apparatus can be a blood component separation centrifuge that utilizes a closed system disposable including blood tubing and frangibles during the process of separating a biological fluid such as blood into components.